Centre relaxes Central Motor Vehicles Rules to permit flex-fuel vehicles using up to E100 ethanol

Key facts

• The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) notified changes to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, allowing flex-fuel vehicles that can run on up to E100, nearly pure ethanol.
• Fuel beyond E20 and up to E100 is meant only for vehicles designed and certified to use it; vehicles using E20 or normal fuel cannot use E85 or E100.
• The government raised the vehicle weight limit for light petrol and diesel vehicles affected by these changes to 3,500 kg from the earlier 3,000 kg threshold.
• Maruti Suzuki launched India's first flex-fuel passenger vehicle, the Wagon R Flex Fuel, in June this year, capable of running on ethanol-petrol blends from E20 to E100.
• India has already rolled out E20 fuel containing 20 per cent ethanol and 80 per cent petrol as part of its strategy to reduce dependence on imported crude oil.
• Major automakers including Toyota, Tata Motors, and Hyundai are developing flex-fuel vehicles for the Indian market.
• Earlier draft amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, also aimed to provide for wider use of fuels such as E85, B100 biodiesel, and hydrogen-CNG combinations.